War

[i3670]

War has changed drastically the last hundred years or so. War was more civilized during the late 1800's. It was like this because the supreme power Prussia knew how and why war should be fought. Today's saber rattling aggressive wars in seemingly random countries has costly, counterproductive and bloody occupations - without an apparent political-military strategy - would've been completely alien to calculating prussian lords like chancellor Otto von Bismarck, general field marshal Helmuth von Moltke or military theorist Carl von Clausewitz. The later asked the question "What is war?" and answered the question himself that "War is merely a continuation of politics by other means." For example the prussian wars against Denmark, Austria and France had concrete political reasons and thus was characterized by restrictions and great willingness to quickly make peace, that would last. As an example of this, Bismarck after defeating France gave them colonies in Africa. The goal wasn't war itself, but as soon as possible to make peace on favorable terms. The enemy wasn't supposed to be annihilated, only to go along with their party's political goals.

"Nothing personal, just business."